AREAS OF PRACTICE & OFFERED SERVICES

 

A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS:

 As may be required for specific assignments, my practice utilizes a team of independent specialists including Petroleum Engineers, MBAs, Geologists, Production Supervisors, Landmen, Accountants, and Oil Company CEOs, among others.

 

DUE DILIGENCE:

Disclosure is simply not enough when you undertake Due Diligence.  Oil & Gas Due Diligence can be as hazardous as drilling. 

 

As a legal counselor and provider of professional legal services, you know the value of highly trained, experienced, and skilled professionals in highly specialized disciplines. Oil and Gas Due Diligence is extremely specialized and requires a wide mix of distinct professionals to do the job right.

 

Whether for your firm, or your clients, I have assembled one of the most complete service offerings regarding Oil and Gas Due Diligence.  Our associated legal, financial, accounting, engineering, geology, insurance and investigative personnel have decades of experience in flushing out the information you and your clients need. Consider:

 

á      The Oil and Gas Industry has its own language – and, it is not found in the ÒDefinition of TermsÓ.

WE SPEAK THE LANGUAGE

 

á      Oil and Gas financial analysis requires a minimum of three different professional disciplines.       

      WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONALS NEEDED

 

á      Oil and Gas Law is highly specialized and changes constantly.            

WE ARE CURRENT

 

á      The area of mineral rights ownership has become even more complex with horizontal drilling practices.
WE KNOW WHY, WHERE, WHEN AND HOW

 

á      Insurance, bonding and asset protection is a critical component to a responsible driller, producer, transporter or program sponsor.                                                                                              

WE KNOW WHERE TO LOOK

 

á      ÒPast PerformanceÓ is not only a poor indicator of future results; it is far too often a poor representation of past results!                                                                                                                     

WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

 

á      Petroleum Engineering, Oil and Gas Law, Geology, Financial Accounting, Research, Financial Analysis, and Investigative Services are mandatory in understanding an oil and gas venture, whether it be an investment, merger, acquisition or lending opportunity.                                        

WE HAVE THEM ALL.

 

OIL & GAS LEASES:

There is no such thing as a ÒStandardÓ Oil & gas Lease.  Particular attention must be paid to leases currently being offered in Ohio.  Key current issues include; delay rental rates, landowner groups, spud fees, ORR, drilling units, unitization, drill pad size, access roads and setbacks, just to name a few.  I provide lease assessment, assist with negotiation and acquisition of drilling leases and non-drilling leases, as well as right-of-way agreements within your economic guidelines or based upon specific economic analysis. I provide my clients with a review and critique of lease design and structure, including specific attention to terms, delay rental, unitization, landowner royalties, shut-ins, free gas, surface equipment, pooling, assignments, water use, indemnification, storage and default among others. 

 

LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS:

Together with my team of specialists, I offer representation of Landowner Associations based upon the unique concerns and goals of each entity.  My services include; creation of the legal entity, addressing individual concerns of the members, assessing the membersÕ acreage to prepare it for leasing, Petroleum Engineering analysis of the parcels, suggesting favorable lease terms and provisions, identifying prospective Developer/Lessees, and negotiating the Leases.  We work closely with the members throughout the process to ensure their informed and reasonable expectations.    

 

OIL & GAS DEVELOPMENT; STRUCTURE AND IMPLIMENTATION:

I provide my clients with a thorough review, assessment and specific recommendations for your Offering Structure, Private Placement Memorandum design, and Capital Formation structure as your clients seek to secure investment capital and/or joint venture partners for prospective drilling, completion and production projects.    

 

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS / RISK ANALYSIS:

I am able to provide my clients with an evaluation of prospective development projects and specific drill sites based upon return on investment profiles with Internal Rate of Return summaries for capital sources.  This in-depth analysis starts with a Township Well Survey Report that includes identification and quantification of well data from current and historic completion and production records, resulting in a comprehensive lease profile that rates and identifies prospective leases and/or drill sites for acquisition. This procedure entails assembling and assessing sand isopach (non-shale projects) and reservoir pressure system data, cumulative production assessment, prospective site spacing, setbacks, transmission capacity and availability, landowner identification (i.e. drill/non-drill), right of way assessment and preliminary economic analysis of prospective drill sites. 

 

EXIT STRATEGIES:

I design short and long term exit strategies for equity owners with petroleum based assets, in concert with associated legal, accounting and securities professional service firms. 

 

LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND PUBLIC RELATIONS:

My professional services place an emphasis on compliance with applicable sections of The Ohio Revised Code and The Ohio Administrative Code, as well as on the impact of Substitute Senate Bill 165.  Separately, I am prepared to address both public and private concerns related to hydro-fracing, directional/horizontal drilling, and the development of the Marcellus and Utica Shales.